We are all unique. Although there are a number of physical similarities, you are you and I am I. Popular culture and media would like for us to become enthralled with the uniqueness of a person. The problem with celebrating that uniqueness is that popular culture and media ask that we become that person. We don’t get to celebrate you. And that just isn’t cool.

When I first started doing Yoga some six or so odd years ago, I feel into the same trap that a number of practitioners do. The search for the perfect pose. In a search for perfection, there are so many negative thoughts and emotions that arise. When those are practiced, they become a part of us. We lose our spark … and people notice.

I did not take any time for myself after my Level 4 YogaFit training last weekend and I know my students could tell. I allowed my love for accomplishments to catch up with me. It was today during the Power Yoga class that I taught that I finally took a moment to reflect. We took the mantra “So ham” (“I Am”) and added positive words between each repetition. In the rush to continue my journey to my 200 hour cert, I almost allowed myself to steal from myself. The journey is so much more important than the goal. It was comforting to take a step back and reflect. Digestion is fun :).

Stealing From Ourselves

In all the ways that we impose an outside image of ourselves onto ourselves, we are stealing from the unfolding of our own uniqueness.

All self-sabotage, lack of belief in ourselves, low self-esteem, judgments, criticisms, and demands for perfection are forms of self-abuse in which we destroy the very essence of our vitality.

We are captured in a culture where our very identity is tied up with our accomplishments. In this rush to get to the next thing, we have left no time for ourselves to digest and assimilate our lives; this may be our biggest theft of all. We need time to catch up with ourselves. We need time to chew and ponder and allow the experiences of life to integrate within us. We need time to rest and to reflect and to contemplate.

When we take no time for reflection or integration; we continue to move on to the next thing, full speed ahead. Because we take no time to pause and allow experiences to become part of us, we do not get to keep the experiences, they are gone.